[KLUG Members] Deploying Linux on the corporate desktop.

[Richard Zimmerman]

> My employer has recently approved Linux on our user's desktops.
> We will be evaluating Linux on the desktop for a small number of users
> before wider deployment.  We have been using Linux servers for years,
> but this is our first user desktop installation (not counting myself and
> another MIS person).

   Sweetness.....

> LTSP would seem to have the advantage of ease of administration,
> installs and upgrades.  It would also seem to be slower than individual
> installs, a waste of power in our existing PC's.

   Your desktops certianly will handle a desktop install without problem. My
personal machine is a PII-233 (NOT overclocked) w/ 128mb of ram and I get
quite acceptable performance out of it. I'm running stock Gnome from RH 7.3
on it.

   With LTSP from what I've learned so far, you really want a duel-cpu
system and 50mb of ram for EACH work station. With LTSP you can have a boot
server and MANY application servers.

> I've narrowed down the desktop choices to Gnome or XFCE.

   The LTSP group rocommends XFCE or Window Maker... Mainly because they are
"lighter" on the GUI interface.

> Right now I'm leaning toward XFCE because I know how to modify it's
> default menus and focus behavior.  It's also faster and seems like it
> would run faster if I end up with LTSP clients.  "X :1 -query remotepc"
> runs rather slow with Gnome (default Redhat 7.3 install), but no delay
> is noticeable when running XFCE.  Would the speed be the same for LTSP?

   The LTSP lab I'm in the process of learning is using KDE doe the GUI. I
can see a slow down waiting for the data to come across the network (read
really the cpu's trying to render it) I'm assuming Gnome would be a slow in
that respect.

> How do I go about modifying the choices on Gnome's default menu/panel?
> How easy is it?  Is it feasible?

   As root, main menu, panels, edit menus..... From there it's all menu
driven...

> 3) Miscellaneous.
>
> I covered the main two points that I am having a difficult time reaching
> a decision on.  Any other tips for this upgrade would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks in advance!

   Being you already have desktops that are powerful enough to stand on
thier own for Linux desktops, I'd just use them with a native Linux install.
If we were talking P100's then I'd say go LTSP.

   Richard



Richard Zimmerman                                     richard@knbpower.com
System Administrator
K&B Transport, Inc.
Elkhart, Indiana                          Advanced SKYWARN weather spotter

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